Out of the comfort zone
by MoonyNights
Summary: For the first time you had fun meeting someone new. / Short story featuring genderless reader / Reader x Papyrus


Alright this is just something fluffy and sweet. I have to admit tho I have trouble writing fo Papyrus.

I don´t have a beta so beware.

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Absently you plug a few blades of grass from the ground beside you, shredding them between anxious fingers that only slowly lose their nervous tremors. You sit alone by a quietly whispering brook that cuts through a wast empty field. You breath evenly and freely as you watch the merrily playing, colorful fish in the clear water before you. Silently you bemoan the lack of shade where you are sitting. Even if you had desperately needed to get away from the many strangers at the picnic your friend had dragged you to, you still did not want to go too far and potentially get lost.

Pulling the hood of your hoodie over your head and snuggling into the soft fabric of your favorite article of clothing you contemplate how many more minutes of peaceful quiet you will have till your absence is noted. Deciding that you will be left alone for quite some time still you pull the too long sleeves over your hands and listen to life rushing past around you. It´s so different to what the city feels like and the longer you sit there the better of an understanding you get for natures different pace. It certainly does make for a pleasant change.

You are still caught up in your favorite past time as an exited and voice and energetic steps coming closer catch your attention. Startled by the unfamiliar figure approaching from your left, the oposit of where you know the group you left behind to be, you blink your eyes up at the so unexpected newcomer. And how strange they look. A skeleton in a battle body wearing a wide grin and waving at you excitedly. The red scarf fluttering behind him almost seems to be waving at you too. Awkwardly you sit there fidgeting. You had of course heard about the monsters which had made a place for themselves in society, but on account of hardly leaving your home had never met one.

And even though you had heard plenty from both family and friends, who argued heatedly among themselves over the oposing opinions on monsters, you never really got any advise on how to interact with them out of anyone. Surely this would turn out a nightmare on account of you being awkward, shy and uncomfortable with anyone that you hadn´t known for at least a month.

By now the skeleton had reached your side and continued with introducing himself. `GREETINGS HUMAN! I, THE GREAT PAPYRUS, SAW YOU SITTING HERE AND THOUGHT TO COME OVER AND MAKE YOU HAPPY WITH HAVING SUCH AN AWESOME FRIEND AS ME.´ You startle again. Not so much at his strange way of talking nor at what he said, the meaning wouldn´t register with you until the first wave of nerves subsided, but more at the boundless energie that had his rather loud voice practically bouncing circles around you. Blushing furiously in embarrassment you hid further in your cloths by pulling your knees as close to your chest as was physically possible. Papyrus didn´t even seem to notice as he sat down on the ground beside you angling his body towards you.

Even as he was still in the process of sitting down he did not stop talking for even long enough to let you get in a mention of your own name edgewise. So you let him talk taking to doing what you do best. Listening. While Papyrus tells you about all the things he likes about the surface, his monster fiends and, in great length and detail, about his brother Sans your thoughts keep you just a bit distracted with curiosity about the energetic skeletons body and it´s workings. Just distracted enough, as it turns out, to make you flinch a bit as Papyrus finally levels a question at you.

Shaking lightly with newfound nerves you try to recall what exactly it was the exited monster is seeking to learn. Embarrassingly soft, thoughtful noises escape you as you think. The blush that had slowly faded over time came back full force as you find what you were looking for and stammer out an answer. ´Ah! Oh uhm well I´m here with a friend but uh...´ , you trail off unsure if you should continue. At Papyrus encouraging smile you finish in a whisper: ´Well there were a lot of people I didn´t know and I...well I´m not good with so many strangers at once.´ His smile doesn´t falter as he comments confidently, and more then loud enough to make up for your quiet voice. ´OH JUST LIKE MY FRIEND ALPHYS THEN! SHE IS REALLY SHY TOO.´

You refrain from telling him that, with you, it is a bit more then just being shy. What he says next however throws you completely off balance. ´YOU REALLY ARE VERY CUTE HUMAN.´ Astonished you freeze up. You were at a loss at what to do with such a compliment. It wasn´t that you never got compliments thou usually they were about how well you were at listening to others or about your dedication to your hobbies. Cute was something you hadn´t been called since childhood when your parents would still put you in animal costumes or dress you up for family parties.

All of your confused disbelieve breaks forth in a single: ´Huh?´, that topples Papyrus´ smile into a frown. ´Human, don´t you belief me?´, he sounds so quiet all of a sudden, ´BUT I AM SERIOUS!´ He seems honestly rattled by your disbelieve. Much more then even your long time friends were at finding out about your lack of self confidence.

Your conversation partner thou looks at you thoroughly downtrodden at the realization. He scoots closer talking much to fast for you to keep up, compiling a long list of arguments backing up his statement as he shifts onto his knees sitting in front of you now. Thou usually uncomfortable about touching strangers in any way you allow his carefully reaching hands to come to rest on your knee and head and end up more relaxed for it by the warmth that somehow radiates off of Papyrus´ bones.

While not fully convinced of the actual truth of his words you rest your fingertips gingerly against the bones of the hand laying on your knee. You thank Papyrus for the compliment and even manage a small smile that doesn´t wobble at all. His excitement returning, the once again energetic monster pets your head and shifts back to sitting beside you. And while he sits much closer then before it spares you from showing your bright blush and happy smile to him.

Your conversation continues less one sided then before. Your newfound calm and the happy atmosphere soon shatter thou on account of your friend showing up calling your name. Your absence, or so it would seem, had finally been noticed. You wave back at the small search party headed by your friend and turn to Papyrus for a goodbye. Before you can even explain that it is time for you to go thou Papyrus hands you a hastily scrawled note. A line of numbers that, with some thinking, you finally recognise as a phone number. It would seem he enjoyed your time together too.

Smiling happily you pull your hood deeper over your eyes making a split second decision on your next actions. You lean forward quickly and press a chaste kiss onto the skeletons cheekbone. You then get up hastily to join back up with your friend. You look back to Papyrus shyly seeing him stunned with a bright orange blush. All the way back to the picnic site you smile, barely hearing your friends warnings not to run off alone. In your pocket the small paper crinkles reassuringly as your fingers bush against it. You turn your wide smile onto your friend with a heartfelt thanks for taking you on this trip.


End file.
